Dustin Hoffman Joins Michael Mann and David Milch's "Luck"

Dustin Hoffman Joins Michael Mann and David Milch's "Luck"

By our guest blogger, Matt Jussim

Dustin Hoffman has signed on to headline the Michael Mann ("Heat," "The Insider") and David Milch- ("Deadwood") produced horse racing drama pilot "Luck" for HBO.

According to The Hollywood Reporter: Dustin Hoffman is headed to television in his first major TV series gig.

The project is described as a provocative look at the worlds of horseracing and gambling told through a diverse group of characters surrounding a racetrack. It centers on an intelligent, intuitive tough man (Hoffman) who always has been involved with gambling, from bookmaking and money laundering to casino operations.

Recently released from prison after four years, he teams with Gus Economou (Dennis Farina), his longtime chauffeur and muscle, to craft a complex plan involving the track. They recruit Turo Escalante (John Ortiz), a successful trainer with a sordid reputation.

Landing Hoffman is a major coup for HBO as the "Tootsie" actor has not done TV in more than 40 years, since his breakthrough role in the 1967 feature "The Graduate." He won an Emmy in 1986 for CBS' adaptation of the 1984 Broadway production of "Death of Salesman," in which he played the lead.

Hoffman is such a great actor, anything he does will catch my eye, and this series sounds perfect for him. It also sounds perfect for HBO. Although I don’t think any series will match the quality of “The Sopranos,” I like that HBO is trying. Between this series and the upcoming “Boardwalk Empire,” things are looking solid for the network.

Milch wrote the pilot, which Mann is directing. Both are executive producing with Carolyn Strauss and "The Sopranos" alum Henry Bronchtein.

Filming kicks off this spring in Los Angeles.